Because I know I will just start blubbering on if I answer your questions, I am just going to write out the basics.
DIET: Piggies diet consists of four elements-water, hay, veggies, and pellets. They should have unlimited grass hay and water offered in a bottle, and 1/8 cup or less of high-quality pellets per day, without seeds or any colored bits. Oxbow and KMS hayloft are great brands. They need 1 cup per pig per day of low-calcium mixed greens. Pigs cannot efficiently process calcium, so it is important that their calcium intake is minimum. They cannot create their own vitamin c, so you need to supply c rich foods such as bell peppers. You can give vitamin c in supplement form, but do not use the drops that you put in their water. Treats should be healthy and minimal.
HOUSING: Pigs should be housed in a cage no smaller that eight square feet for a single pig or pair. For each additional pig, add an additional 5 square feet. This is only counting floorspace, while levels are great they do not add to the “running space.” The best type of cage is probably the C and C cage, made from storage grids and corrugated plastic. The only pet store cage that is suitable is the Midwest expandable guinea pig habitat. Whatever cage you choose, be sure the bars are no more that 1 1/2 inches apart. Guinea pigs should not be kept outside or on wire flooring. The floor of the cage should be covered in a safe bedding:
Safe:
-Paper based
-Wood pellets
-Newspaper pellets
-Aspen shavings
-Towels and fleece
Unsafe:
-Pine/cedar/softwood bedding
-Corn cob
-Cat litter
-Straw
Guinea pigs can’t really be litter trained and they do poop a lot, but the pellets are dry and easy to sweep up.
The cage should be placed in an area free of drafts in a well lit area but out of direct sunlight. Piggies like to be in an are where they will get plenty of attention, such as a living room. The cage should be spot cleaned daily and completely changed and washed weekly with a vinegar-water solution.
TOYS, CHEWS, AND ACCESSORIES: In your cage, you will need a hideout for each pig plus an extra, a hay rack, food dish and two water bottles. You will need toys too. Some of the best toys include willow and baby toys. Piggies love to be cozy, so small pet beds and tunnels are great for them.
BONDING: Guinea pigs are very social and need a partner to live with. Boys can be very picky with their partners so it is often best to find a young boy, and let them pick their own friend. Boys should not be kept in numbers greater than two. Females generally work together and you can have a large herd usually with no trouble. You can keep female/male herds too, provided that the male is neutered. It is a very bad idea to keep more than one male with a group of females. The guinea pig bonding process is not of that of rabbits in the way that introductions should be made in one day. (They either will get along or they won’t) Introductions should be made in a neutral area.
HEALTH: It is important to find a guinea pig knowledgeable vet. Piggies are prone to issues such as bloat and eye issues. They do not need to be spayed/neutered unless they have to for medical reasons, as it does not make them less aggressive. You should perform a health check often on the eyes, ears, etc. They will need their nails trimmed once a month and ears should be cleaned occasionally. You can bathe your guinea pig but it is not recommended to do this more that twice a year. Both males and females have grease glands on their bums which should be wiped down once a month. Boy pigs will need their boy bits cleaned occasionally. Weigh your piggy every week as weight loss is often the first sign of health problems.
THINGS TO AVOID: Hamster balls or wheels, dairy or store-bought treats, leashes, onions
BEHAVIOUR AND TERMS: Boy pigs are called boars, girls are sows. Piggies will “popcorn” or jump in the air and twist when they are happy. They “cashew” and “pancake” or lay out with their legs sprawled out. They coo when they are pleased and will rumblestrutt and mount to show dominance. They will wheek (squeak) to beg for something. If they are really scared, they will chirp like a bird.
So that’s all I have right now, let me know if you need any more help!